Combination seat and interchangeable back



J. MARTIN 2,278,458

3 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORNEEY A ril 7, .1942.

COMBINATION SEAT AND INTERCHANGEABLE BACK- Filed June 10, 1940 Apr1l 7, 1942. J. MARTIN COMBINATION SEAT AND INTERGI-IANGEABLE BACK 3 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed June 10, 1940 Q k g INVENTOR J 67% M19 T/N ATTORNEY April 7, 1942. J. MARTIN COMBINATION SEAT AND INTERCHANGEABLE BACK 3 Sheets- Sheet 3 INVENTOR JOSEPH MART/IV (9% ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 7, 1942 GQMBINATIQN S 1 3 1 53 3 151.?GE

' A AQK Joseph Martin, Laurelton, N. Y., assignor to United States Cabinet Bed (70., Brooklyn, N. Y., a corporation of New York Ano ieet eh June 1940, $e 'i 3 9 7 5 Claims.

T is n en on re ate to a mp ve com nation seat and interchangeable back and sup.-

port. 1

Among the objects of the present invention it is aimed to provide an improved combination couch bed or sleep-chair including a, bedor seat member and an interchangeable member, inter changeable for the couch bed from back to bed i n, a d or the sl ep-ch ir om, he k o horizontal position.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an improved control mechanism o a o h r e a r h ck ne hdihg a t ggle nd so i te m ans which wil an hor the eech n rec o ition when toggle is; tonne s ele et ts deed eeh er and to heher theheeh h-h rh z n el p si n when t e ogg e is to he o he e o s dead ce rhe e h o her atu es, en 'hili e nd ad. h se o t e in ntion wi appea .h'em he subjoined detail description of specific ernbodie ments t e of i lu t a d i the eee mnan z s drawings, in which 7 i ure 1 is a pe s eeti e of e ueh bed made c din t th present inve tion i h the back in erec po i ion;

Fig. 2 is a iragrnerital side elevation partly n ecti of e eeueh be shemhe h h el in erect position;

Fi 3 i f e me tel t eht elevat on a t y in s cti n of h c u h be with the h sh intere p ition; I

4 is a reeh hte s d ele ation partl n sect n o t south bed ith the beet: rais d pre ar o o e in ng the same Fi 5 isa a e d 's eeleve ien partl in se ti n of t ee eh bed with the h k h zontal position;

i ?6 is e lehfe e uch bed i e back in horizontal position;

F is an e ev t n i the front edge o the back.

i 7 i a re mehta side e 'lh t Sill a t y in sec io o he sle p thei w th the bees i ere t p s t on; i

Fi .8 i a fra mented s de eleva ion partly in ion o t e s e e hei' th hehe k t e hem z h l position and th te t rest in ex nded a d s d p s t n;

t e QB a resme te ont e e a o art s io of the .s p e air with the b sk in erect posi n; a d

his 1.0 s a l n of h s eep th ir w t the h el in horiz hte -resit h and t e. fe t est.

extehs ed r ised pes tien- In the embodiment shown in Figs. 1 to 6A, there is illustrated a, couch bed havil'i a main frame I consisting of two side bars 2 and a front bar 3. The side bars 2 are connected to the end fra 4 a d On th s d ba 2 nd r nt bar 3 there is secured the main bed section 6 consisting of an upholstered portion serving, as the seat portion of the couch in couch formation. Th d r 2 m n e i th p esen in an e at a. distance removed from the rear ends of the end frames 4 and 5, and in turn, the rear longitudinal side of the upholstered portion 5 termis nates in the present instance at .a distance re.- m s. r m he. r a en s o the de h rs lnmedi tel t the r ar oi he ong tud na ee sid o the uph tere ortion 5 he e e e s cured the uprights or brackets l to the, inner races of the side bars 2. The uprights or brackr ets 1 are preferably composed of metal wlr ile the side bars 2 in the present instance are composed of wood.

o t e upper inne endse e ri h s 1 he ar i t nn e ed he ends o the li 8 at 1 h oute ends w i h nk 8 e e i t l c nne d t .99 e ieee t e e e'eh of the vertically extending webs 9 of the angle irons In, each link 8 extending rearward of its pivot point 80 in both back forming and bed forming position. To the other-ends oi the vertically extending webs 9, there are pirotally con.- .neet t the u per end o the e ers ,u fulcrumed by the pins I 2 to-the opposite inner faces of the uprights 1, the upper arins-of which e r H e nd ng r e w det the fgllerum hih L2 in back forming position and forward of said rulcrum pins [2 in bed forming position, The lower vends of the levers I! in the present instance are connected to the tension springs M which are in turn connected to the inner faces of the side bars 2.

The angle irons H) have their webs 15 secured to the side bars l6 of the back forming section Th id b r t in e e ent h t ne a e nnec t lon i dina y ex n in b l8 and I9, to the front face of which bars lii, I8 and [9 there is secured in the present instance the upholstered portion 20. Directly in frontof the levers H and in the present instance substantially in alinement with the pins 12, there are provided the stoppins 2| extending inwardly from the uprights I. At the middle of the inner longitudinal side 22of the upholstered portion .0 th e is ovid d the ee e fabric h tile 23.- M

s w ll ne ap ear, the web .3 hleeh tith e one set of the link members of toggles formed with the levers II as the other set., By means of these toggles II, 9, links 8, stops 2 I, and handles 23, the interchangeable back II can with facility be guided into and out of back forming position and in turn into and out of bed forming position. As an instance, in the operation from bed forming position, that shown in Fig. 5, to the back forming position, that shown in Fig. 2, it is only necessary to engage the outer end of the back I'I, Fig. 5, and raise it until the toggles II, 9, have passed their dead centers and then permit the back I! to descend when it will automatically seek the position shown in Fig. 2 where the lower arms of the levers II or portions of the levers II below the pins I2 will engage the stop pins 2| and enable the springs I4 to contract into the position shown in Fig. 2. In turn, when it is desired to swing the back II into bed formation, it will only be necessary to engage the handle 23, draw upwardly on the same in turn to draw upwardly the back I1, and thereby to draw the webs 9 upwardly until the dead centers of the toggles formed with the levers I I will have been passed into the position shown in Fig. 4, against the tension of the springs I4, when the back I'I may be released automatically to descend into the bed formation shown in Fig. 5, Where the upper arms of the levers II or portions of the levers II above the pins I2 will again engage the stop pins 2|, see the position shown formed therein in alinement with the front ends of the side bars I6 to accommodate the upper ends of the uprights I and working chambers for the links 8 and levers II.

With the sleep-chair shown in Figs. 7 to 10 inclusive, the main frame 30 differs from the in Fig. 5, where the springs I4 will then again be extended as shown. While the stop pins 2| will determine the position of the back I! in bed formation, in order to relieve the supporting strain exercised on such pins 2 I, especially when a person is resting on the back II in bed formation, there are provided the supporting elements consisting of the legs 24, the upper ends of which are pivotally connected to the bearing brackets secured to the side bars I 6 intermediate their ends, see Fig. 5, and in addition to the legs 24, the frame formed by the bars I5 and I3 also rests at its inner ends on the side walls 2.

instance with pivotally mounted feet or supporting elements I25. The legs 24 in turn have pivotally connected thereto adjacent the supporting elements I25, the outer ends of the bent links 26, the inner ends of which are pivotally connected to the opposite inner faces of the uprights I well below the pivot pins I2.

It will appear from Figs. 2 and 4, that the dead center of the pivot points 21, 28 and 29 of the legs 24 and links 25, where the pivot point 28 lies in a straight line between the pivot pins 21 and 29, can never be reached when moving from the final erect back formation, Fig. 2, through the intermediate position, Fig. 4, to the final bed formation, Fig. 5, and vice versa. In other words, the moment that the dead center of the toggles 9, II, has been passed when moving from the position of Fig. 2 to that of Fig. 4, the further movement of the back II will tend to shorten the distance between the points 27 and 29, and therefore again cause the legs 24 to swing outward and finally into the position shown in Fig. 5.

The looped handle 23 extends down the front side of the upholstered portion 25 and is connected to the front edge of the longitudinally extending bar I8. It will be noted also that the fabric of the upholstered portion 20 extends down to the lower or outer face of the longitudinally extending bar I8 and has openings 8| The free ends of the legs 24 are provided in the present main frame I of the first embodiment in that the side bars or walls 3| are connected to one another by the rear bar or wall 32 with the space between the front ends of the walls 3| open, in the present instance to receive the foot rest or auxiliary extension bed section 33. In the present embodiment, the end walls 3| are connected to the end frames 34 and 35, and the front and rear bars 33 and 31 respectively have their ends secured to the upper edges of the side bars 3|. The upholstered portion 38 is mounted on and secured to the bars 36 and 31, the front end of the upholstered portion 38 substantially alining with the front edges of the end frames 34 and 35, and the end of the bar 31 and also of the upholstered portion 38 terminating forward of the uprights 39 secured to the inner faces of the walls 3| forward of the rear wall 32. The uprights 39 are connected to the interchangeable back member 40 by control means that are similar to the control means used with the first embodiment, except that the springs I4 and the legs 24 and links 26 of the first embodiment are omitted. 4

Here also, to relieve the extra pressure on the stop pins 4| in horizontal position of the back 40, when a person rests on the back 40 in horizontal position, the side bars 42 may be forced down so that the upper edges of the walls 3| and 32 will receive the side bars 42 of the back 40. In other words, when a person rests on the back 40 in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 8, the pressure on the pins 4| may be relieved by the back 40, when being strained, resting on the walls 3| and 32.

In the interest of the appearance of the article, the covering fabric of the back 40 will continue from the rear surface thereof down to and across the rear face of the wall 32, as shown in Fig. 7, with the fabric portion 43 straightening out in the erect position of the back 40 and drooping down into a loop in the horizontal position of the back 40, that shown in Fig. 8.

In the present embodiment for initiating the movement of the back 40 into horizontal position, there are provided two grips or fabric handles 44, 45, see Figs. '7 and 8, which extend down to the outer edges of the cross piece I45, one grip at each side of the front end of the upholstered portion 46 of the back 40.

Similar to the first embodiment, angle irons 4'! are secured to the upper faces of the side bars 42 with the webs 48 extending upwardly in horizontal position of the back 40. pivotally connected at upper outer ends to the upper ends of the webs 48 in erect position of the back 40, and the inner ends of the links 49 are pivotally connected to the upper ends of the uprights 39. The inner ends of the webs 48 are pivotally connected to the upper ends of the levers 50 which are fulcrumed on the pins 5| extending from the inner faces of the uprights 39. Substantially in horizontal alinement with the pins 5| but inward of the levers 50, there are provided the stop pins 4| extending inward from the inner faces of the uprights 39. These pins 4|, as shown in Fig. 8, engage the inner edges of the levers 50 above the pivot pins 5| in horizontal position of the back 40, and engage Links 49 are aarsgsss:

the einner edges: of 'thealevers '50; below theepivot or handles: 65; 46 singly 'or' together; may be engaged in erect position of the back 40,..swing the toggles formed by thewebs and .levers 50 beyond their dead centers wheninitiatingthe movement of theback. .40a'into horizontal position, whereupon the back 40 will descendxof :its own :accord into the positionwshownrin:Fig. 8; and in turn,: when-it" is desired. to initiate the movement of the back 40 'back' into erect position, it will only be necessary; to engagethe outer end: of the back 40 and raise it'untill it again causes the toggles; formed :by the webs 48 and levers 50 to pass their deadcentersiin the opposite direction, .whenzthe back will descend of its own accordinto'thefinal erect position shown in" Fig.- '7;

In order'to format clay bed: with the sleep:- chair when. dropping .1 the. backs. 40..'into: hQIi-r zontal position, the. extension; b'edn. section- 33 may be extended into the; position shown; in

Fig. 8. This'extension bed section consists. es+ sentially of a lower framezhaving'two' sidebar angle irons 52 with horizontal slots 53-:in; their vertical webs, an inner cross bar angle iron; 54, and a front cross bar angle iron' 55. "To the front face of the vertically extending, web of the angle iron 55-there is secured the iront wall board 56; The lower frameso .formed-risslidably mounted on slidable angleirons 51. The'angle irons 51 having horizontally, extending'slotsi58', 59, are slidably mounted on the pins.- 60, 6| extending inwardly fromthe: side walls. 3]. of the frame.v 30. The: inwardly extending :webs .of the angleirons 51 support: the ontwardly xex tending websoftthe1angle'irons-52 with.;.the pins 62 extending downwardly: from: the iront ends of the horizontally extending webs ".of theangle irons 51 to cooperate with the ,pins 53 extending horizontally outwardfromzthe rearends of the vertically extending webs of 1 the angle irons 52'. The position ofthe pins 60, 61, length of slots 58, 59; and position of the pins 62, 53, relative to lower ends of thelinks El are provided. with pins 68 slidably mounted in thes1ots53. Inthe forward portions'oiv the vertically extending; webs of the angle irons BB, thereare formed -the:horizontally extending slotsjBQ-in whichjare slidably mounted thepins l9 formedon the upper ends of the links 1|, the lower'endsz of-which links. are pivotally connected to the rear end portions of the angle irons-52. The-links; 61. and; Hare arranged in sets, onefor each side of the-ex-xtension bed section 33 andxpivotedto oneane other approximately'in the middle ofxeachr by the pins 12 as shown in Fig. 8. Preferably, the links H which are disposed on the inner faces of the links 61 are connected to one another by the cross piece angle iron 13.

The front ends of the links 61 have their pins 58 extending through the links 13, the front ends of which are connected to the ends of the arms 14 of ithe A uL-ishaped' supporting bracket 1 T5,. the arms?" adjacent-their z bent :portions: 16 being. pivotally'connected as at 'l'lto the angle irons '52-.

The rear 'ends'of'the links "H areeach connected .by the tension; springs .18 to the brackets 19 secured :to. the angleiron 54.

In use, the: inward movement-of the bracket 15 fromitheposition shown inFig. 8 to that shown in Fig; 7, will actuatecthe links H and 6'! to: lower the upholstered portion 64 in-which operation. the springs 18"prevent'the sudden de-. scent'ofther-portion 64. Thereupon itis: only necessary to push the end board '56 inward from the position shown in;Fig; 8 to that shownin Fi 7:

When preparing the device for use again, on thezotherhandyit will. only be necessary first todraw outwardly the ,end board 56 and .therewith the;upholstered: portion 64 and: associated parts from thespositiongshownin Fig. 7 tothat shown inEig. 8', and-then swing 'thebracket .15 outwardly fromi the position shownqinFig; 7 to that showninFig; 8' whenthesprings l8.will aidinzactuating'the'links H and 61 into, erect position where they will, raise the upholstered portion. to; the position shown in Fig. 8 when the bracket'15 will be ready to engage the supporting floor-and aid in supporting the extension bed: section 33.

To-eliminate undue friction and to steady the apparatus in its movement, the. horizontally extendingqwebsof theangle irons 51 are preferably-providedwith buttons formed thereon on which thehorizontally. extending webs of the angle irons;52..ride as shown. in Fig. 8.

It will;.also:;be;obvio11s; from inspection-hi1 Fig. 81.;that-when. the brackettfi has-been. drawn out into; floor: engaging position; its; arms: ldwill bring its pivotalconnection; with the links: 13 below the straight :linebetween the pivotal points 11 and .68 thereby to anchor the cross links H and 5.1 inzerect'position, the convex outer-portions of; the bentportions 16 in such: position being wedgediagainst thehorizontal web of the angle i10n155.

It is .obvious that various: changes and, modificationsmay'bewmade to the details of construction without departing from the general spirit of theinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

l. The combination-offa-frame, aseat member secured to said. frame, aback. member having side bars, .and means for connecting said side bars tosaid frame, each connecting means including .aabracketisecured to said frameextending upwardly adjacent the rear end of said seat memberpa:stoppin-on each bracket, a lever for ea'ch.:bracket, each lever fulcrumed to one of said bracketswith theend of one arm pivotally connected-tonne side. bar'andan edge of said lever; below its fulcrum point engaging said stop pin vin'. erect position" of 5 said back vmember; and such"; edges of 1 said'ilever above its fulcrum point engaging said-stop pin;in:1 horizontal positionof saidwbackmember; each sidebar and associated lever-forming atoggleapositioned-to oneside of its: deadicenter'in erect position of said back member-andwtorthe other side of its deadcenter in horizonta-l'position, anda link foreach side bar, each link pivotally connected at one end to said side bar and at its other end to its bracket, the portion of each lever above its fulcrum point extending rearward in back forming position of said back member and extending forward in bed forming position of said back member, and each link extending rearward in both back forming and bed forming positions of said back member.

2. The combination of a frame, a seat member secured to said frame, a back member having side bars, and means for connecting said side bars to said frame, each connecting means including a bracket secured to said frame extending upwardly adjacent the rear end of said seat member, a stop pin on each bracket, a lever for each bracket, each lever fulcrumed to one of said brackets with the end of one arm pivotally connected to one side bar and an edge of said lever below its fulcrum point engaging said stop pin in erect position of said back member and such 1 edge of said lever above its fulcrum point engaging said stop pin in horizontal position of said back member, each side bar and associated lever forming a toggle positioned to one side of its dead center in erect position of said back member and to the other side of its dead center in horizontal position, a link for each side bar, each link pivotally connected at one end to said side bar and at its other end to its bracket, the portion of each lever above its fulcrum point extending rearward in back forming position of said back member and extending forward in bed forming position of said back member, and each link extending rearward in both back forming and bed forming positions of said back member, legs, each leg pivotally connected to one of said side bars, and connecting links, each connecting link pivotally connected at one end to one of said legs and at the other end to one of said brackets, the distance from the pivot point of a leg with its side bar to the pivot point of a connecting link with a bracket being greater than the distance from the pivot point of the sidebar and one of said first named links to the pivot point of the lever and a bracket.

3. The combination of a frame, a seat'member secured to said frame, a back member having side bars, and means for connecting said side bars to said frame, each connecting means including a bracket secured to said frame extending upwardly adjacent the rear end of said seat member, a stop pin on each bracket, a lever for each bracket, each lever fulcrumed to one of said brackets with the end of one arm pivotally connected to one side bar and an edge of said lever below its fulcrumed point engaging said stop pin in erect position of said back member and such edge of said lever above its fulcrum point engaging said stop pin in horizontal position of said back member, each side bar and associated lever forming a toggle positioned to one side of its dead center in erect position of said back member and to the other side of its dead center in horizontal position, a link for each side bar, each link pivotally connected at one end to said side bar and at its other end to its bracket, the portion of each lever above its fulcrum point extending rearward in .back forming position of said back member and extending forward in bed initiate changing said toggle from one side of its dead center to the other side of its dead center.

4. The combination of a frame, a seat member secured to said frame, a back member having side bars, and means for connecting said side bars to said frame, each connecting means including a bracket secured to said frame extending upwardly adjacent the rear end of said seat member, a stop pin on each bracket, a lever for each bracket, each lever fulcrumed to one of said brackets with the end of one arm pivotally connected to one side bar and an edge of said lever below its fulcrum point engaging said stop pin in erect position of said back member and such edge of said lever above its fulcrum point engaging said stop pin in horizontal position of I said back member, each side bar and associated lever forming a toggle positioned to one side of its dead center in erect position of said back member and to the other side of its dead center in horizontal position, a link for each side bar, each link pivotally connected at one end to said side bar and at its other end to its bracket, the portion of each lever above its fulcrum point extending rearward in back forming position of said back member and extending forward in bed forming position of said back member, and each link extending rearward in both back forming and bed forming positions of said back member, and springs, each spring connecting the lower end of one of said levers with said frame to cushion said back member againsta sudden descent into horizontal position.

5. The combination of a frame having wall members, a seat member secured to said frame with portions of said wall members exposed rearwardly thereof, a back member having side bars, and means for connecting said side bars to said frame, each connecting means including a bracket secured to said frame extending upwardly adjacent the rear end of said seat member, a stop pin on each bracket, a lever for each bracket, each lever fulcrumed to one of said brackets with the end of one arm pivotally connected to one side bar and an edge of said lever below its fulcrum point engaging said stop pin in erect position of said back member and such edge of said lever above its fulcrum point engaging said stop pin in horizontal position of said back member, each side bar and associated lever forming a toggle positioned to one side of its dead center in erect position of said back member and to the other side of its dead center in horizontal position, a link for each side bar, each link pivotally connected at one end to said side bar and at its other end to its bracket, the portion of each lever above its fulcrum point extending rearward in back forming position of said back member and extending forward in bed forming position of said back member, and each link extending rearward in both back forming and bed forming positions of said back'member, the upper edge of said wall members being positioned just below the normal horizontal position of said back member to receive the back member in case of necessity to relieve the pressure on said stop pins when said back member is forced down below its normal horizontal position.

JOSEPH MARTIN. 

